O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for you. My soul thirsts for you; my whole body longs for you in this parched and weary land where there is no water. Psalm 63:1 I received a message from a friend recently. “What do you do when the bad stuff just keeps coming? Not…
2016. It is definitely a year I won’t forget. Death. Illness. Surgery. Financial struggles. New relationship. And kittens. Yes, kittens. Several months ago, I told you about our cat, Tigresse. She was one of a kind. She was our gopher hunting, mouse killing, door opening four-year-old cat. But, I use the term “was.” Back in…
Being a parent is hard. Being a single parent is extremely hard. Single Mom or single Dad. Never married. Divorced. Widowed. One child. Two children. Eight children. No matter the reason you are a single parent, the struggles are real. The struggles are often overwhelming. The struggles are often similar. When you are divorced and…
I have been keeping a secret from you all. Please forgive me for not being completely open. It’s a tough secret to keep, but it’s one I needed to savor myself for a while. It’s funny. I am a very quiet and private person. I’m not one to put my personal life on display for…
Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires. Psalm 37:4 “God,” I cried out as the tears streamed down my face and my feet pounded the pavement, “I want to desire you. I want to delight in you. But, honestly, I really just want a husband.” I had escaped the…
My friend told me of a conversation he had recently. Recently, a small group from high had an impromptu gathering, men and women. It seems, however, that most of the participants had recently walked through divorces. As they talked, the conversation came around to what men are looking for in women. “We want Dena Johnson,”…
Have you heard the saying, “God won’t give you more than you can handle?” That is an outright lie! The Sunday after I learned of my husband’s affair, we went to a new church. The pastor was preaching a series on, “You Can’t Handle It.” He spoke of the trials of this life and how…
Our country is in tumultuous times. Everywhere we turn, we are faced with division and strife. Racism. Same sex marriage. Refugee crises. Transgender issues. Targeting of law enforcement officers. Terrorism. Religious freedoms. Gun control. Everywhere we turn, violence erupts. With each hot-button issue, emotions run deep. We have become a deeply divided nation, one spewing…
Years ago as a newlywed couple, we lived in a large apartment complex in San Antonio, Texas. One night, in the early morning hours, we were awakened by a loud banging on our door. The repeated thuds reverberated through our small apartment, jolting us awake. It sounded as if someone was trying to break the…
I’m crying UNCLE on 2016! Can I just say I’m over it? It seems I enter every year with great expectations, waiting for God to totally blow my mind with good things. So far, I’m still waiting… Let’s review the last six months. My oldest had surgery in December. A very painful surgery. My kids…
I like to listen to sermons. When I drive. When I run. When I get ready for work. I often have a podcast playing, just to keep my mind focused. I have several favorites on my playlist. I regularly listen to Mark Batterson at National Community Church, Andy Stanley at North Point Community Church, Craig…
I opened my computer with plans to write a blog about our thoughts. But before I could even start, my thoughts captured me and took me in a completely different direction. As soon as my computer booted up, the screen hit me like a punch in the stomach, temporarily knocking the breath out of me….